Another header question, or two
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 35,065
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
Another header question, or two
OK, starting to narrow down what I'm doing for headers and an intake. I have TWO questions left.
It's a 90 L98 coupe.
1. Do the headers make the under hood temp too hot and begin to deteriorate rubber and such. Are there long term ill effects on vaccuum hoses, belts, etc... as a result of heat?
2. Also, what is the effect on ground clearence?
Thanks!!1
It's a 90 L98 coupe.
1. Do the headers make the under hood temp too hot and begin to deteriorate rubber and such. Are there long term ill effects on vaccuum hoses, belts, etc... as a result of heat?
2. Also, what is the effect on ground clearence?
Thanks!!1
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 949
Likes: 0
From: smithtown ny
i have a 91 with tpis headers. get them ceramic coated.and make sure you get a heated o2 senser. ground clearence is fine. i never noticed it getting real hot don't worry about it. you can always add a fan switch to turn your fans on early if it makes you feel better. i went with a 160 stat and had ski-down-it burn a chip to also turn my fans on at 160. go for it.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,153
Likes: 1,731
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
They can cause alot of excess heat under the hood, yes. Ceramics help that, but I would still wrap the fuel and transmission lines that run near the exhaust, just to help temperatures, not because of safety issues.
If you have a problem with running lean, causing way too much heat, then yes you'll start destroying the rubber.
If you have a problem with running lean, causing way too much heat, then yes you'll start destroying the rubber.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
I've been running my long tubes for 3 years on my daily driver and have yet to have any heat related issues. As for the ground clearance I know my Hooker headers don't give up any, if anything they might gain a smidge because of the way the LT1 cats work. Can't say for other brands though.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 35,065
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
On the daily driver, do you sit in traffic. Here in the NY-NJ area it's not uncommon to have a 100 mile trip take THREE HOURS. I drive into NYC every day for work. Door to door is 14 miles, takes just over an hour.
I won't take the vette to work, it's a weekend, nice day car. However, if I have to sit in traffic on occassion, would that present a heat problem.
Also, why heated O2 sensors? The car will be in the garage, and never in the freezing cold. I don't mind picking one up, but is there an advantage?
Thanks.
I won't take the vette to work, it's a weekend, nice day car. However, if I have to sit in traffic on occassion, would that present a heat problem.
Also, why heated O2 sensors? The car will be in the garage, and never in the freezing cold. I don't mind picking one up, but is there an advantage?
Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,032
Likes: 4
What I'm planning on doing in my L98:
1. get the headers ceremic coated to reduce heat, then wrapping the areas that need it (such as next to the starter). Also I plan on adding plug boots for the spark plug wires, you may want to consider that.
Then Add the 02 sensor (I only have one on my '85) to the collector. If it runs to lean, change it with a heated 02. I believe the ECM adjusts your fuel by the info sent to it from the 02, if the sensor isn't hot enough it will screw up the ratio... But someone will probably correct me on that
1. get the headers ceremic coated to reduce heat, then wrapping the areas that need it (such as next to the starter). Also I plan on adding plug boots for the spark plug wires, you may want to consider that.
Then Add the 02 sensor (I only have one on my '85) to the collector. If it runs to lean, change it with a heated 02. I believe the ECM adjusts your fuel by the info sent to it from the 02, if the sensor isn't hot enough it will screw up the ratio... But someone will probably correct me on that
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
Likes: 9
In September I took my car on what should have been a three hour trip. I ended up in the the middle of a traffic jam on I-40 for well over an hour. I ran with the A/C on the whole time and never shut the car off, I didn't have any heat related the problems. Honestly your exhaust will probably be hotter when you're underway than it is when you're just sitting at idle.
As for the heated O2 sensor, although it's more of a problem in cold weather it can happen any time. The O2 sensor has to be at a minimum operating temperature before it can provide valid feedback to the computer. Usually with headers you end up placing the O2 sensor further back in the exhaust stream where the sensor doesn't get as hot. Thus the sensor gives bad data to the car and it either will not go into closed loop, which costs you gas mileage, or it'll make the car run like crap. Installing a heated O2 sensor ensures that the O2 reaches it's proper operating temperature and that the car runs at peak efficiency.
I never realized the need for one until it was 20 degree weather, but it can affect your economy on as much as a 60 degree day, you just usually don't notice it.
As for the heated O2 sensor, although it's more of a problem in cold weather it can happen any time. The O2 sensor has to be at a minimum operating temperature before it can provide valid feedback to the computer. Usually with headers you end up placing the O2 sensor further back in the exhaust stream where the sensor doesn't get as hot. Thus the sensor gives bad data to the car and it either will not go into closed loop, which costs you gas mileage, or it'll make the car run like crap. Installing a heated O2 sensor ensures that the O2 reaches it's proper operating temperature and that the car runs at peak efficiency.
I never realized the need for one until it was 20 degree weather, but it can affect your economy on as much as a 60 degree day, you just usually don't notice it.
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 395
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From: Wescosville Pa
I put Hooker long tubes on my 1990. Ceramic coated #2149's
Basically I had one of my MSD wires setting on the 5 priamry for about a 20 minute test run. Didn't even melt the outside. If I run if for 15 minutes HARD, and let it cool down for 10, I can touch the primaries. The plenum stays hotter longer than the headers do.
As for heated O2 sensors, my bung is in the number 7 primary about 12 inches from the head. I figured it'd get hot enough.
Basically I had one of my MSD wires setting on the 5 priamry for about a 20 minute test run. Didn't even melt the outside. If I run if for 15 minutes HARD, and let it cool down for 10, I can touch the primaries. The plenum stays hotter longer than the headers do.
As for heated O2 sensors, my bung is in the number 7 primary about 12 inches from the head. I figured it'd get hot enough.
